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A LIST OF COMMENCEMENT DAYS AT 
HARVARD COLLEGE, 1642-1700. 



At a meetincr of the Massachusetts Historical 



o 



Society, in Boston, on Thurscjay, May 9, 1895, Dr. 
Samuel A. Green communicated the following paper: 

No attempt has ever been made, so far as I know, to give a 
list of Commencement Days at Harvard College in early times, 
as gathered from contemporary records. There is a list ot 
such days in " The New-England Historical and Genealogical 
Register" (XXXIH. 423) for October, 1879, prepared by 
Mr. John Ward Dean, the editor ; but it is based largely on 
the statement of Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia (Book IV. 
1^8), that the day " was formerly the Second Tuesday in August^ 
but since, the first Wednesday in July."" While this state- 
ment in the main is correct, the impression is left that it held 
true from the very beginning of the institution, which is not 
the fact. 

Cotton Mather may have received this information from 
his father, who entered college in 1651, though he did not 
graduate until 1656. Under date of February 18, 1690-1, 
while in London, Increase Mather writes : "- 1 was sent to 
Harvard Colledge at Cambridge in N. E. in the year 1651 when 
I was but 12 years old : there continued 6 years " (Proceed- 
ings, 2d series, VIII. 347). A change in the day had been 
made the very year he went to Cambridge ; and long after- 
ward Mather, knowing that Commencement during his college 
course came in August, may have told the fact to his son in a 
general way, leaving the inference — which he himself might 
well have believed — that before his time the day always fell 

1 



2 >^ 

on the second Tuesday of August. As a matter of record for 
some years previous to 1651, it came on the last Tuesday of 
July, and before that even as late in the year as September 
or October. 

In the following list of Commencements I have appended 
the authorities, under each year, for the several statements in 
regard to them. I have had occasion to use Mr. Sibley's Har- 
vard Graduates so often, that for the sake of convenience I 
have generally mentioned him by name, rather than his work, 
as my authority ; and for the same reason I have mentioned 
Judge Sew^all rather than his Diary. 

1642. 
Mr. Sibley, in his Harvard Graduates (I. 15), says that the 
first Commencement of the College came probably in October, 
1642 ; but a careful reading of the letter printed on the next 
two pages of that work shows that it took place shortly before 
September 26. Mr. Sibley, doubtless, supposed October to 
have been the date, as it occurred in that month during the 
next year. According to Winthrop's " History of New Eng- 
land," the first Commencement happened on Thursday, Sep- 
tember 22, as under that date the author writes : " Nine 
bachelors commenced at Cambridge ; they were young men 
of good hope, and performed their acts, so as gave good proof 
of their proficiency in the tongues and arts " (II. 105). 

1643. 

During this year Commencement occurred in October, but 
the exact day is unknown. In the Historical Library is a copy 
of the printed Theses used at Commencement, and it is dated 
at " Cantabrigiae Nov. Aug. Mens. 8. 1643." 

See Proceedings (IV. 444-446) for March, 1860, and (2d 
series, IX. 413) for February, 1895 ; and Sibley's Harvard 
Graduates (I. 74-76). 

1644-1646. 
For these three years I can find no contemporary records. 

1647. _ 
The Historical Library owns an imperfect copy of the 
printed Theses for this year, but the imprint at the foot of 



m 






the sheet is " Oantahrigioe. Nov : Ang : 6. Calend. Sextilis. 
1647," — which day fell on July 27, the last Tuesday of the 
month. 

1648. 

I find no record of the date, but perhaps it was the last 
Tuesday of July. 

1649. 

The Historical Library possesses a small pamphlet entitled : 

Oratio Quam Comitijs Cantabrigiensibus Americanis Peroravit 
reverendissimus D.D. Samuel Whiting Pastor Linnensis ; in aula sci- 
licet Harvardina, Pridie Calendas Sextiles, Anno, M.DC.XL.IX. 
No titlepage. 16mo. pp. 16. 

This date came on July 31, the last Tuesday of the month. 

1650. 

According to the College Steward's Account-Books, as 
printed in the Appendix to the first volume of Sibley's Har- 
vard Graduates (pp. 548, 549), Commencement fell on July 
30, the last Tuesday of the month. The date is found in the 
entries set severally against the names of Mildmay, Mather, 
and Stoughton, viz.: "Commencment day 30 of July"; 
"Debitor 30-5-50 'being the day of Commencment ' " ; and 
"his 'Commencment Chardge,' 30-5-50." 

1651. 

Edward Johnson, in his " Wonder-Working Providence of 
Sions Saviour in New-England" (chapter 19, page 166), while 
speaking of the College, says : — 

The number of Students is much encreased of late, so that the 
present year 1651. on the twelfth of the sixth moneth, ten of them 
took the degree of Batchelors of Art, among whom the Sea-born son 
of Mr. lohn Cotton was one, some Gentlemen have sent their sons 
hither from England, who are to be commended for their care of them, 
as the judicious as the godly Doctor Ames, and divers others. 

This extract from the " Wonder- Working Providence" 
fixes the day as August 12, the second Tuesday of the month, 
which is confirmed also by the entries after the several names 



of Cotton, Dudley, Butler, and Burr, as found in Sibley 
(I. 551, 552). During the year 1651 the change appears to 
have been made from the last Tuesday in July to the second 
Tuesday of August. 

1652. 
No contemporary records found. 

1653.' 
According to an entry after the name of Samuel Phillips in 
Sibley (I. 550), the day fell on "9-6-53," August 9, the 
second Tuesday of the month. For a confirmation of this 
date, see also page 322 of the same work. 

1654. 

See the entry after the name of Michael Wigglesworth in 
Sibley (I. 551), which gives the Commencement charges on 
" 8-6-54," August 8, the second Tuesday. 

1655. 

The day came " Decimoquarto Die Sextilis 1655," August 
14, which was the second Tuesday, — according to a pro- 
gramme reprinted in Sibley (I. 322). 

1656. 

According to Sibley (I. 358), it was " Duodecimo Die Sextilis, 
M.DC.LVI." — August 12, the second Tuesday. 

1657. 
No contemporary records found. 

1658. 
Under the name of John Barsham in Sibley (I. 539) is the 
following : " Att the 10-6-58 by his Comencment Chardges 
£3," — which date fell on August 10, the second Tuesday of 
the month. 

1659. 
The programme reprinted in Sibley (I. 593) gives the aate 
as " Die Nono Sextilis : M.DC.LIX." — which was August 9, 
the second Tuesday. See also the same volume (page 562) 



for the following entry after John Eliot's name : " Debitor 
from 10-7-52 to 9-6-59," which last date came on August 9, 
and is an additional confirmation of the date. 

1660. 
According to a list of " Qusestiones " printed in Sibley 
(I. 488), the day came " Decimo-Quarto Die Sextilis 1660," 
August 14, the second Tuesday of the month. 

1661 and 1662. 
No contemporary records found for these two years. 

1663-1666. 

The " Quaestiones in Philosophia Discutiendse," as found in 
the second volume of Sibley, on pages 53, 72, 101, and 133, 
give the dates as falling respectively " Undecimo Die Sextilis" 
(August 11), " Die Nono Sextilis " (August 9), " Die Octavo 
Sextilis" (August 8), and "Die Decimo Quarto Sextilis" 
(August 14), all which days fell on the second Tuesday of 
the month. 

1667. 
No contemporary records found. 

1668-1670. 

According to the programmes reprinted in Sibley (II. 163, 
205), Commencement occurred "Die Undecimo-Sextilis " 
(August 11) in the year 1668, and " Die Decimo Sextilis " 
(August 10) in 1669; and, according to a programme in the 
library of this Society, the day fell " die nono Sextilis " 
(August 9) in 1670, — in each instance the second Tuesday of 
the month. 

1671. 

Sibley (II. 381) says : " August 8, Adams ' was admitted 
to y* degree of Batchelour of Arts . . . under y^ Reverend 
Charles Chancey President.' " The day fell on the second 
Tuesday of the month. 

Sewall (I. Introduction, xiii, xiv) writes : — 

At this time the commencement was in August. In the year 1667 my 
father brought me to be admitted, by which means I heard Mr Richard 
Mather of Dorchester preach Mr Wilson's Funeral Sermon . " Your 



6 

Fathers where are they ? " I was admitted by the very learned and 
pious Mr Charles Chauncey, who gave me my first Degree in the year 
1671. There were no Masters in that year. These Bachelours were 
the last Mr Chauncey gave a degree to, for he died the February 
following. 

Without doubt there was no printed programme for this 
year, as there were then no candidates for the second degree. 

1672 and 1673. 

No contemporary records found for these two years. During 
this period the customary way of giving the date of Commence- 
ment on the college programme was changed, and the Roman 
system adopted. 

1674-1676. 

According to a programme for 1674 reprinted in Sibley 
(II. 335), the day came " Tertio Idus Sextiles " (August 11), 
the second Tuesday ; and this date is confirmed by a note in 
John Sherman's Almanac for that year. According to another 
programme for 1675 in the same work (II. 413, 414), the day 
came ""Quarto Iduum Sextilium" (August 10), the second 
Tuesda}'. This date is borne out by an entry in Increase 
Matlier's manuscript diary belonging to the Historical Library, 
as follows : " 10) [1675] At Comencement at Cambridge " 
(page 26). According to still another for 1676 in Sibley 
(II. 415), the day fell ''Sexto Idus Sextiles" (August 8), 
the second Tuesday. In Increase Mather's diary (page 73) is 
the following : " 8) [1676] At Comment in Cambridge." This 
date is confirmed in part b}^ an entry in Sewall's Diary, where 
the day is placed undated between July 28 and August 12 
in the manuscript copy, though unfortunately in the printed 
edition (I. 15) it is given under July 28. 

1677. 
No contemporary records found. 

1678. 

According to Sibley (II. 447), the day fell " Idibus Sextili- 
bus" (August 13), the second Tuesday. 



1679. 

Sibley (II. 481) says: " Pridie Idvs Sextiles" (August 12), 
Tuesday ; and this ls, confirmed by an entry in John Danforth's 
Almanac for that year. 

1680. 

Sibley (II. 500) says: "Ante Diem IV Idus Sextiles" 
(August 10), Tuesday, which is confirmed by a memorandum 
under that date in John Foster's Almanac for 1680. See also 
an allusion to the day in Quincy's " History of Harvard 
University " (I. 472), at the bottom of the page. 



1681. 

"Die quinto ante Idus Sextiles" (August 9), Tuesday. See 
Sibley (III. 1), and an entry in Foster's Almanac for 1681 
under that date; also Sewall (11. 14*) for an allusion to 
Commencement. 

Cotton Mather, in his manuscript diary for 1681, writes : — J 

9"^ 6'? This Day, I took my second Degree proceeding Master 
of Arts. 

My Father, was prcesident, so that from his- Hand I Received my 
Degree. 

Tis when I am gott almost Half, a year, beyond Eighteen., in my Age. 

And all y*^ Circumstances of my Comencement, were ordered by a 
very sensibly kind Providence of God. 

My Thesis] was Puncta Hehraica sunt Originis Divince. 



1682. 

" Die Sexto ante Idus Sextiles MDCLXXXII." (AugusrS)^ 
Tuesday. See Sibley (III. 170) ; and also a note in William 
Brattle's Almanac for 1682 under that date. In opposition to 
this, however, is the word " Comencment," in Sewall's hand- 
writing after September 13, in the same almanac, which day 
fell on Wednesday. It is not easy to explain this discrepancy. 

At the bottom of the page under August, Brattle gives the 
following lines : — 



Commencement's come, but (friendly) I Advize 
All sorts of Rabble now their Homes to prize, 
For if to it they come, so Blind they '11 bee, 
That Really no Body they will see. 

Now Sol to Virgo goes, & there does stay, 
Till that his Heat does very much Decay. 

Do they have reference to the drinking-habits of that 
period ? 

1683. 

In Cotton Mather's Almanac for this year the printed 
announcement of Commencement comes after the date, Sep- 
tember 12, which was the second Wednesday of the month. 
I find no other contemporary authority for the statement that 
it fell on that day, — as it probably did also on the correspond- 
ing day in the preceding year. 

1684. 

Sibley (III. 210) says: "Calend: Quintilis" (July 1), 
which came on Tuesday. See Noadiah Russell's Almanac and 
Benjamin Gillam's Almanac for a confirmation of this date ; 
and also Peirce's " History of Harvard University " (page 49) 
for other authority. 

A letter under date of December 9, 1683, written by John 
Rogers, President of the College, and by Samuel Andrew, a 
Fellow, and John Cotton, also a Fellow and the Librarian, to 
Increase Mather, who was then the senior Fellow, gives the 
reason why a change in the day was made for 1684. It is 
found in the Collections (4th series, VIII. 521, 522) of the 
Society, and is as follows : — 

Reverend Sir, — We are heartily sorry that we are enforced to 
give you the trouble of these lines : the purport whereof is to signify 
our great dissatisfaction with the stated time of the Comencem*, on the 
first Wensday in .Tuly next ; the occasion whereof is, that upon that 
very day wil fall out a grand Eclipse of the Sun, which was not fore- 
seen, or at least, thought of, upon the last meeting of the Corporation. 
What reflection wilbee vpon our oversight of ii, or upon our persisting, 
notwithstanding we have still the opportunity of correcting it, before 
the Almanack come forth ; as also how obstructive the Eclipse wilbee 
as to the busines of the day, is very obvious. Wee are not super- 
stitious in it, but reckon it very inconvenient. If, therefore, yourself 



shal joyne with us, and improve your interest once more with the 
Hono^'ed Overseers, to alter and confirme the day on the 2*^ Wensday 
in July, or for this p^'sent turne on the first Tuesday in July, or the 
forementioned 2*^ Wednsday, it shal be most grateful and obliging to us. 
Sir, praying a blessing upon al your labor's, and begging your prayers 
for us, we kisse your hands, & are 

Your friends & servants, 

J. Rogers. 

Samuel Andrew. 

Jno. Cotton. 

Cambridge, 9, 10, 83. 

1685. 

In the almanacs for this year, prepared respectively by Wil- 
liam Williams and Nathaniel Mather, Commencement is noted 
after Wednesday, July 1 ; but as there were no graduates in 
1682, there were no candidates for the Master's degree, and 
consequently no programme was printed. Sewall (I. 85) also 
gives the same date. 

1686. 
According to Sibley (III. 242), the day fell " Nonis Julii " 
(July 7), Wednesday ; and this date is confirmed both by 
Danforth's Almanac and Mather's. 

1687. 
According to Sibley (III. 270), the day occurred " Pridie 
Nonarum Julii " (July 6) ; and this date is borne out both by 
the Cambridge Ephemeris (William Williams's?) and Tulley's 
Almanac for 1687. Sewall (I. 181) has the following entry : 

Wednesday, July 6. Waited on his Excellency to Cambridge. 
Eleven Bachelors and Seven Masters proceeded. Mr. Mather, Presi- 
dent, Pray'd forenoon and afternoon. Mr. Ratcliff sat in the Pulpit 
by the Governour's direction. Mr. Mather crav'd a Blessing and re- 
turn'd Thanks in the Hall. 

Mr. Ratcliffe was a clergyman of the Church of England ; 
and without doubt Andros intended in this way to annoy or 
insult the great body of Congregationalists, who then governed 
the College. 

1688. 
Sibley (III. 316) says: " Quarto Nonarum Julii " (July 4) ; 
and this is confirmed by Sewall (I. 219), who writes: — 



10 

Wednesday, July 4. Comencement managed wholly by Mr. W™ 
Hubbard; compared Sir William [Phips], in his Oration, to Jason 
fetching the Golden Fleece. Masters proceeded, no Bachelours. 

At that time Increase Mather, President of the College, was 
in England on public business. See Collections (4th series, 
VIII. 671) for a letter written to him by his nephew Warham 
Mather, a graduate of 1685, which gives an account of the 
Commencement exercises, when he took his second degree. 

1689. 
According to the programme reprinted in Sibley (III. 353), 
the day fell " tertio Idus Septembris" (September 11), Wed- 
nesday, though the reason for postponement is not now clear. 
Tulley's Almanac for 1689, printed months before Commence- 
ment, gives July 3 as ttie date. Perhaps the change was due 
to the political troubles of that period. 

1690. 

Sibley (III. 368) gives the date " Sexto Nonas Quin- 
tilis" (July 2), Wednesday ; and Newman's Almanac says 
the same. Under date of July 2, 1690, Sewall (I. 323, 324) 
writes : — 

Go to Cambridge by Water in the Barge, wherein the Govemour 
[Bradstreet], Major Generall [Winthrop], Capt. Black well, Mr. Ad- 
dington, Allen, Willard and others : Had the Tide homeward. Thirty 
Commencers besides Mr. [Nathaniel] Rogers, Sir [Samuel] Mather, 
and Mr. [John] Emmerson. Sir Mather in England yet had a Degree 
conferred on him. Mr. Rogers and Emmerson should have Commenc'd 
last year, but were hindred by Sickness. 

1691. 

There were no graduates in 1688, and on that account no 
candidates for the Master's degree in 1691. Presumably there 
was no printed programme for Commencement ; but Newman's 
Almanac gives as the date July 1, which occurred on Wednes- 
day. Henry Newman, who compiled it, was a graduate in the 
Class of 1687, and he showed his loyalty to Alma Mater by 
placing on the titlepage, after the age of the World, and the 
time since the Flood, the number of years since the " Found- 
ing of Harvard Colledge." In this particular the author fol- 



11 

lowed the example of William Brattle, William Williams, and 
Samuel Danforth, who also were graduates, and, respectively, 
wrote almanacs for the years 1682, 1685, and 1686. 

1692. 
Sibley (III. 404) says: "Die Sexto Quintilis" (July 6), 
the first Wednesday of the month ; and this date is confirmed 
by H. B.'s Almanac for that year. 

1693. 
Tulley's Almanac gives July 5, Wednesday, as the date. 

1694. : 

Sewall (I. 890) writes : " July 4 [Wednesday], 1694. Waited 
on the Governour to the Comencement." An Almanac for 

this year, " By Philo Mathemat," probably a pseudonym 

of William Brattle, gives the same date. 

1695. 
John Tulley notes the day after July 3, Wednesday. 

1696. 
Tulley gives the date as July 1, Wednesday. 

1697. 
Sewall (I. 456) has the following entry: — 

July, 7. 1697. I ride with my wife and Mr. Stoddard and his wife 
to the Comencement. Mr. Willard, W" Hubbard, Cotton, [of] Pli- 
mouth, Whiting, Brinsmead not there. 

This date, which fell on Wednesday, is confirmed by Tulley 
in his Almanac. 

1698. 

According to Sewall (I. 481), the day came between June 
28 and July 13, but Tulley gives it definitely as Wednesday, 
July 6. 

1699. 
Tulley says that it occurred on Wednesday, July 5. 

1700. 
The same authority gives it on Wednesday, July 3. 



SUMMARY. 



1642 


September 22 


Thursday 


1672 






1643 


October 




1673 






1644 






1674 


August 11 


Tuesday 


1645 






1675 


August 10 


Tuesday 


1646 






1676 


August 8 


Tuesday 


1647 


July 27 


Tuesday 


1677 






1648 






1678 


August 13 


Tuesday 


1649 


July 31 


Tuesday 


1679 


August 12 


Tuesday 


1650 


July 30 


Tuesday 


1680 


August 10 


Tuesday 


1651 


August 12 


Tuesday 


1681 


August 9 


Tuesday 


1652 






1682 


September 13 ? 


Wednesday ? 


1653 


August 9 


Tuesday 


1683 


September 12 


Wednesday 


1654 


August 8 


Tuesday 


1684 


Julyl 


Tuesday 


1655 


August 14 


Tuesday 


1685 


July 1 


Wednesday 


1656 


August 12 


Tuesday 


1686 


July 7 


Wednesday 


1657 






1687 


July 6 


Wednesday 


1658 


August 10 


Tuesday 


1688 


July 4 


Wednesday 


1659 


August 9 


Tuesday 


1689 


September 11 


Wednesday 


1660 


August 14 


Tuesday 


1690 


July 2 


Wednesday 


1661 






1691 


Julyl 


Wednesday 


1662 






1692 


July 6 


Wednesday 


1663 


August 11 


Tuesday 


1693 


July 5 


W^ednesday 


1664 


August 9 


Tuesday 


1694 


July 4 


Wednesday 


1665 


August 8 


Tuesday 


1695 


July 3 


Wednesday 


1666 


August 14 


Tuesday 


1696 


Julyl 


Wednesday 


1667 






1697 


July 7 


Wednesday 


1668 


August 1 1 


Tuesday 


1698 


July 6 


Wednesday 


1669 


August 10 


Tuesday 


1699 


Julys 


Wednesday 


1670 


August 9 


Tuesday 


1700 


July 3 


Wednesday 


1671 


August 8 


Tuesday 









13 



[This leaf is to be appended to "A List of Commencement Days 
at Harvard College, 1642-1700."] 

At a meeting of the Massachusetts Historical 
Society, held in Boston, on Thursday, November 14, 
1895, Dr. Samuel A. Green communicated the fol- 
lowing notes : — 

During a recent visit at Worcester I had an opportunity 
to examine some early New England almanacs belonging to 
the American Antiquarian Society, which are not found in the 
Historical Library ; and from them I have gleaned the dates 
of a few Commencement Days at Cambridge, which are in 
addition to the List presented at the meeting of this Society 
held on May 9 last. 

1657. 

According to an Almanac (Cambridge) by S. B., the day fell 
on Tuesday, August 11. 

1662. 

An imperfect copy of an Almanac for this year, lacking the 
titlepage and a few other leaves, fixes the date as Tuesday, 
August 12. 

1667. 

According to Samuel Brackenbury's Almanac (Cambridge), 
the date fell on Tuesday, August 13. 

1672. 

Jeremiah Shepard's Almanac (Cambridge) gives the day as 
Tuesday, August 13. 

It will be noticed that these additional dates in every 
instance fell on the same day of the second week in August ; 
and thus they confirm the theory that during the period from 
1651 to 1681 Commencement always came on the second 
Tuesday of that month. 



MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 

December 9, 1897. 



Dr. Samuel A. Green made the following remarks : — 

I wish to communicate the dates of two early Commence- 
ments at Cambridge, derived from contemporary sources, 
which are additional to the list previously presented by me, 
and printed in the Proceedings (second series, X. 194-205, 
360) for May and November, 1895. The dates are taken from 
two almanacs in the Watkinson Library at Hartford ; and in 
both instances they fall on the second Tuesday of August, 
thus confirming the theory that during this period Commence- 
ment came on that day. 

1673. 

According to an Almanac (Cambridge) for this year, by 
N. H., — who perhaps was Nehemiah Hobart, the graduate of 
1667, — the day fell on Tuesday, August 12. 

1677. 

According to an Almanac (Cambridge), by J. S., — who 
was the Reverend John Sherman, third minister of Water- 
town, — the day came on Tuesday, August 14. 



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